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The Mindset of Medicine
- Palveshey Tariq
- Feb 24
- 13 min read
Updated: Aug 21
Author: Palveshey Tariq
Names of clients have been changed to protect their identity. Psilocybin journeys took place in areas where psychedelics have been legalized or decriminalized.
There are 3 phases during the psychedelic experience: preparation, journey, and integration (I will elaborate more on the journey and integration process in later posts). Preparation is a crucial aspect of the psychedelic healing process, especially when it comes to set, setting, and support.
As preparation, clients are advised to follow a strict diet leading up to the journey.
At Least Two Weeks Before Ceremony Abstain From: | At Least One Week Before Ceremony Abstain From: |
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Diet is not the only thing that needs to be addressed as part of preparation. Mindset is equally, if not more important. It is vital that clients feel mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared for the psychedelic journey.
(MIND)SET
You might’ve heard the phrase “set and setting” when it comes to psychedelics. The 'set' refers to an individual's mindset as they enter a psilocybin session. In preparation for the psilocybin journey, I work closely with clients over a span of 4 to 6 weeks to help them understand their inner critic. This inner critic is a persistent internal voice that tends to focus on an individual's perceived flaws and mistakes, often being overly critical. Such constant self-criticism can adversely affect a person's perception of life. Addressing and managing the inner critic prior to the ceremony ensures that clients are well-prepared and aren't taken aback by sudden self-realizations during their psilocybin experience. Research suggests it is crucial to not only prepare the mind for the psychedelic experience but to set a clear intention for profound transformation.
THE RESEARCH BEHIND THE IMPORTANCE OF MINDSET
A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology highlights that the psychological state of the individual before taking psychedelics (their mindset) greatly impacts their experience. Those with a more positive outlook, openness to the experience, and a sense of preparedness tend to have more beneficial outcomes and fewer negative effects.
The same study suggests that mindset can influence the level of trust and surrender to the experience, which is crucial in avoiding resistance—a key trigger for anxiety during a psychedelic experience.
Research in Frontiers in Psychology shows that having a clear intention or purpose before using psilocybin is associated with more profound and positive effects. People who set an intention, like seeking personal insight or healing, often report greater emotional breakthroughs and transformative experiences.
Emotional preparedness and an understanding of possible challenging effects help reduce the sense of fear and panic that can accompany a "bad trip." Individuals who are mentally prepared are more likely to view difficult experiences as opportunities for growth rather than threats.
THE 7 MINDSETS/ARCHETYPES
In my work, I have come across 7 different types of mindsets, or archetypes. When my clients first come to me, they typically fall somewhere within the first four archetypes. Through psychedelic integration coaching, their mindset transforms to one of the latter three archetypes.
The Victim
Core Thoughts: self-criticism, doubt, heavy self-judgement
Core Emotions: Apathy, overwhelm, anxiety, depression, helplessness, fear, worry, powerlessness, guilt, embarrassment, low self-esteem, anxiety
Core Action: Lethargy, withdrawing, disengagement, replaying events in mind, self-blame for anything perceived as negative, guilt-tripping others to do things for them
This individual is a victim to certain events, thoughts, beliefs, emotions, or perceptions that holds them back from success. They often experience thoughts and feelings of guilt, fear, worry, self-doubt, and low self-esteem. From the victim perspective, people feel as though they have a lack of choice or options. Individuals feel trapped by certain circumstances or believe that they are, in some way, a victim to what happens around them. These individuals struggle with avoiding difficult situations and have trouble making decisions because they feel helpless to make a difference.
Emotionally, these individuals lack desire, engagement, and action for life. The prevailing frame of reference from this perspective is “I’m a loser”. We all experience this mindset at times, and in some aspects of our lives, so it is normal. Normal, however, does not mean required.
This archetype is a master manipulator. By drawing sympathy and support, they can get others to do things for them through guilt trips.
Through preparation, individuals can remove what is no longer working and replace it with more of what they really want. Doing this work in preparation of the psilocybin journey allows them to become familiar with the inner workings of their minds to address it gently during the journey and reduce the likelihood of a “bad trip”.
The victim mindset is not negative or bad. Each archetype has advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages: Protects us from experiencing uncomfortable situations or assuming responsibility for negative life events. It can also draw sympathy and support from others.
Disadvantages: Avoidance and disengagement can impact levels of satisfaction and fulfillment. It can prevent people from acting and engaging in life.
The Challenger:
Core Thoughts: Conflict, black and white thinking (right or wrong, good or bad, win or lose)
Core Emotions: Anger, resentment, entitlement, frustration
Core Action: Defiance, taking charge, controlling the situation, need to fight for themselves, intimidation, coercion, blame
This mindset is characterized by conflict, with the core emotion being anger. It contains thinking of antagonism, struggle, resistance, frustration, and defiance. From this perspective, everything tends to be viewed as black or white, right or wrong, good or bad. These judgments result in limited options, as the full scope of available possibilities is not apparent to the person operating at this mindset. From this perspective, people typically come from a win/lose frame of reference believing “there can only be one winner”. In certain aspects of life, this may actually be the case, however, there are usually more powerful and much healthier ways to achieve winning results.
When someone is approaching a situation through this perspective, the tendency is to take charge and control of the situation to assure a “win.” If things don’t go as planned, people with this mindset tend to blame others. Because of the anger and frustration they feel, it may be difficult for them to let things go. There might be some mistrust present or a need to fight for themselves to be successful.
Many of the leaders and CEO’s I work with have this mindset, but they are usually unhappy and, often, unhealthy. They often manage by force, control, or coercion. They can get caught up in focusing on “what’s wrong”, “what’s broken”, and potentially “who or what to blame”. While initial results of managing this way may look successful, this way of leading others and organizations will ultimately fail, as the effort expended to live and act with constant conflict drains them and those around them. When we become familiar with our dark, angry, shadow side before the psilocybin session, there are fewer surprises and more self-acceptance during the journey.
Advantages: Since anger is the entry point into motivation, this mindset enables people to get a lot done. This is why people often say they work well under stress. While people can accomplish much by force, success can come at a cost.
Disadvantages: Since motivation is forced, the results are not sustainable and can eventually impair motivation, levels of satisfaction, and the productivity of others. The use of force, fear, intimidation, and coercion are short-term strategies that have long-term impacts.
The Settler:
Core Thoughts: Responsibility, it is what it is, good enough
Core Emotions: Forgiveness, tolerance
Core Actions: Cooperation, compromise, find the silver lining, explain away negative emotions and burdens
This perspective allows people to take responsibility for their thoughts, emotions, and actions, and know that what they think, and feel is up to them, not others. This mindset allows people to focus on achieving their goals and meeting their own agenda, first and foremost. Unlike the fighter, this archetype believes there can be more than one winner but only after securing a win for themselves. The typical thought here is “it is what it is” or “good enough”. People with this mindset are masters at rationalization. They will motivate themselves and others by finding ways to cope, release, forgive, tolerate, compromise, and explain away resentment, stress, disappointments, and other burdens to encourage cooperation and productivity.
I call this band-aid mode because this perspective often sweeps away underlying feelings only for them to erupt later. This is how most of us are taught to handle emotions and part of the preparation work is to become familiar with any hidden volcanos that have been waiting to erupt due to overwhelm or frustrations.
Advantages: move past any judgment or negativity so they can remain focused on making positive movement toward the goal/desired outcome
Disadvantages: Since this perspective allows people to move past negativity in the moment, it doesn’t address the actual issue under the surface. This could result in a tendency to tolerate or settle for “good enough” In the pursuit of finding solutions to move forward, underlying issues may go unaddressed.
The Pleaser:
Core Thoughts: Concern for others, caring
Core Emotions: Compassion, selflessness, gratitude, trust, conditional love, sympathy
Core Actions: Service, giving, supporting, helping, deep connections, nurturing
This archetype’s core thought is concern for others. The core emotions and actions associated with this archetype are caring, giving, supporting, helping and conditional love. This perspective looks and feels very selfless, since the focus of these actions is to work and achieve for the benefit of others. People with this perspective have a great deal of compassion for others and are inspired, and inspire those around them to serve others. They often foster collaboration, teamwork, and loyalty. When there is a problem, the tendency may be to jump in and fix it. As a result, people may come to them for help and advice.
Since this archetype works from a place of conditional love, I rarely come across individuals who truly do things for others without expecting the same, if not more, in return, generally expressing resentment for all that they’ve done for others. Most of my work with this archetype is setting healthy boundaries. Without healthy boundaries this archetype is prone to people pleasing and saying “yes” to things they don’t want to do, constantly feeling drained without nurturing oneself the way they do others.
Advantages: people really do care about helping and serving others. As a result, it feels great to be a support and make a difference.
Disadvantages: without establishing healthy boundaries, the tendency is to place everyone’s needs ahead of their own or get pulled into other people’s drama. This could result in taking on too much and feeling overwhelmed or frustrated if things are out of balance.
The Optimist:
Core Thoughts: Reconciliation, objective thinking, growth mindset
Core Emotions: Peace, confidence, self-trust, purpose
Core Actions: Acceptance, learning from challenges, inspirational, powerful leaders
This mindset is found in the greatest leaders in all walks of life. Individuals with this perspective have a highly conscious, wide-ranging view of situations and thus, have many choices available to them as they “play the game of life”. This archetype reconciles good and bad, and right and wrong so that nothing is judged one way or the other. People with this mindset begin to see everything as an opportunity meaning they do not simply make “lemonade out of lemons” but they are genuinely as excited by the things that do not go as planned as by the things that do. Even challenges are opportunities to learn about life and themselves.
A lot of people give lip service to this concept, but few actually walk the talk with it. The emotions associated with this archetype is a sense of inner peace and fulfillment. They are in control of their lives and live with the belief they can and do choose their life experience. This mindset is rare to come across and usually occurs during the post-journey integration phase.
Individuals with this mindset are powerful, inspiring, and skilled at capitalizing on whatever opportunities present themselves. This archetype sees others as gifted and full of potential. It is considered the “win- win” perspective.
From this perspective, every situation provides additional information that can guide next steps and decisions. Similar to a growth mindset, this mindset allows people to explore the purpose behind everything that happens. Rather than focusing on fixing a problem, this archetype maintains a solution focus.
Advantages: These people are able to generate ideas and see opportunities and purpose in every situation. Since the focus is on learning from the situation, they don’t take things personally.
Disadvantages: People can see so many opportunities that they might overthink things and experience “paralysis by analysis.” They might be disengaged from their emotions because they are focusing on analyzing situations. Sometimes, a high level of optimism can cause people to take too many risks.
The Conscious Creative:
Core Thoughts: Synthesis, nonjudgmental, concept of separation melts away, everyone and everything are a unified whole, flow
Core Emotions: Joy, openness, oneness, love, intuition, flow, presence
Core Actions: Wisdom, strong connection to everyone and everything, unconditional acceptance, flow, presence, empathy
This archetype experiences the core thought of synthesis, which is the blending away of the illusion of individuality and instead, the ability to see the whole, in lieu of just its parts. People with this perspective see everyone and everything as a part of themselves. This is the mindset where intuition comes alive. Creative geniuses, visionaries, and brilliant and conscious leaders, in all walks of life, tap into this space to use it to create new and exciting innovations for everyone’s benefit. There is a sense of connection with everyone and everything. For these people, all that happens has purpose and value. This archetype experiences a permanent sense of pleasure, satisfaction, and joy.
Often, people describe the experience of being “in the flow”. Leaders operating at this mindset tend to lead more by presence than by actions and share in projects, rather than delegating them. The view through this perspective is that “everybody wins” because we are all part of the bigger picture.
From this perspective, people tend to focus on experiencing the moment instead of trying to make sense out of it. They also tend to view life’s events as part of the grander scheme of things.
I almost never come across this archetype during the preparation phase. This mindset is almost exclusively achieved and sustained in the integration phase.
Advantages: This archetype is intuitive, empathetic, and has the ability to feel and connect without judgement. As a result, there is a sense of joy and satisfaction.
Disadvantages: People might not appear to be grounded and could be seen as out of touch or aloof. They may be high risk takers, acting on intuitive impulse without balancing their intuition with logic and emotion.
The Guru:
Core Thoughts: Non-judgement, complete objective thinking, winning and losing are illusions, intentional
Core Emotions: Absolute passion, fearlessness, unconditional love
Core Actions: Creation, consciously co-create their lives
This is the archetype of pure consciousness. This archetype is characterized by complete objective thinking, non-judgment, and fearlessness. No human resonates completely here, but with practice, everyone can access it.
The master of this mindset is capable of using any of their emotions on purpose, with purpose. This perspective is capable of viewing their world and their organizations with complete objectivity. They understand that most of life is a game of illusion including the rules we created to help us understand the game. No human resonates completely here but with practice everyone can learn to access it. People who tap into this mindset are the most powerful people in the world. They consciously co-create their life experience and are participants and observers at the same time.
This archetype is a pioneer and creates something from nothing. At work, this energy becomes apparent in genius thinking. They are completely passionate about all aspects of life. At home, they feel intimately connected to everyone. With others, they feel unconditionally loving and completely accepting of the people around them.
Most of my clients access this mindset during the psilocybin session and is exclusively worked towards sustaining in the integration phase.
Advantages: people have the ability to connect with their “inner genius” and co-create their life experiences. They are connected to an intelligence of the highest order.
Disadvantages: If any, there is less emotional drama as nothing is seen as “real”. Some might perceive this archetype as being disconnected.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF SKIPPING PREPARATION
When we jump straight into a psychedelic experience without becoming familiar with the inner workings of our minds, the psychedelic journey can be confusing and painful. Anthony’s story is exemplary of the importance of preparation for mindset:
Anthony’s Temper Tantrum
Anthony came to me riddled with existential anxiety, a typical “victim” archetype. He had started taking anti-depressants and anti-psychotics beginning to believe he was “broken”. By the time he came to me he was experiencing dissociation and was fearful of losing his mind. When Anthony approached me, psychedelic coaching was his last hope. I recommended and even encouraged preparation work, but Anthony declined, hoping the session alone would be enough to help him solve his existential anxiety.
During the psilocybin journey Anthony saw what he considered “objective truth”. In his words he saw “reality for what it was” and got trapped in a thought loop believing the entire universe was a computer program running a simulation. While the psilocybin experience can bring joy and even peace to many individuals, this was too much for Anthony to handle and it completely freaked him out. His entire perspective of reality and the stories he told himself were put into question and Anthony responded with a temper tantrum. He felt alone in the universe and lashed out through anger, hitting, and throwing things around. During this experience, with his permission, I embraced Anthony with a hug, and he melted into tears. This experience of loneliness led Anthony to notice how little connection he had in his life.
Anthony describes this as “a very difficult but necessary part of his healing process”. He learned how much he values community and connection and how little of it he had in his life. He came to realize his existential crisis was rooted in isolation. Anthony went on to pursue integration coaching and has completely transformed his life since. I share more of Anthony’s journey in Part 3: Support.
THE REWARDS OF PROPER PREPARATION
When we properly prepare the mind for the journey, the results can be profound. Melissa’s story is a great example:
Melissa’s Revelation
Melissa came to me with a fiery constitution, an expression of the “challenger” archetype. She believed she needed to fight for everything in life. Her relationships were riddled with conflict. She struggled to maintain healthy romantic partnerships and blamed all the men in her life for her problems. During the 6 weeks of preparation, Melissa began to realize she was angry with herself for several of her life choices. She didn’t trust herself to take care of herself because of all the “mistakes” she had made.
During the psilocybin session she uncovered that she didn’t trust herself because of how her father used to speak down to her as a child. What’s more is that Melissa realized her father wasn’t speaking down to her intentionally, that was just her own perception of the situation. In fact, he was just trying to protect her the best way he knew how. She began to cultivate compassion for her father and even appreciation for his guidance. After the session, Melissa cultivated a new sense of gratitude for the role of the masculine in her life. Like Anthony, Melissa continued with integration and went on to radically transform her life. I share more of Melissa’s story in Part 3: Support.
CONCLUSION
Mindset is the precursor to the psychedelic experience. But the truth is, not everyone is up to the task of facing themselves. No one can be forced to do the work. In my experience, those who put in the time and effort to understand their inner worlds, reap the rewards of the seeds they sow. Those who don’t, typically tend to repeat the patterns that continue to harm them.
